A look at Howard County school board candidates
we learned in the spring, there are many students who are not available for learning in a 100% virtual environment. We must focus on getting students safely back in school for actual face-to-face instruction as soon as we can as well as providing a virtual option to families that need one. I was encouraged that a survey by the teacher’s union indicated that 776 teachers were willing to provide small group in-person instruction and the [board]/HCPSS should be working toward safely doing this. I’ve been advocating that HCPSS presents a plan to safely provide this type of instruction.
We should look at how other jurisdictions are implementing in-person instruction and use this to assist in the development of our plans. I’m encouraged that day cares have been operating safely in our schools for months.
Molyett: I wholeheartedly support the board’s decision to start the school year with virtual learning, which was only opposed by one member of the board: my opponent. As a parent in the system, I understand and empathize with those upset about virtual learning. It has been a hard transition for my students and for me as a parent. However, the health and safety of our students and educators is too important to risk in-person learning at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic. Our class sizes have grown far too large and our air quality is too degraded. We have to wait until scientific and medical experts tell us in-person classes can return, otherwise we risk continuing the spread of COVID-19 to teachers and the parents of students at home. I support the board allowing for small, limited classes for students that require individualized education plans, so long as CDC guidelines for social distancing are met and personal protective equipment is provided for free for all staff and students involved. In the meantime, we should work to continue supporting our staff and students to make virtual learning the best experience it can be. As an expert in cybersecurity, I can navigate the technical solutions required to protect our online classes from practices like “Zoom-bombing” and ensure that students have access to the technology and Wi-Fi that they need. I look forward to getting students and staff back into our schools as soon as it would be safe and equitable to do so.
District 2 Why are you running to be on the Howard County Board of Education? Antonia Barkley Watts: I am running for the Board of Education in District 2 because I believe in the transformative power of education. It is critical that we develop a system where every child has access to an education that fits their needs. Students from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds have fewer educational opportunities compared to their peers. Without these opportunities, the achievement gap will continue to grow. We need to close these gaps to achieve better outcomes for our children, especially for the traditionally underserved, like my two sons. Sadly, this gap starts even before kindergarten. Children without access to early education may enter school up to two academic years behind their peers and may never catch up. I will work to expand the number of high quality and affordable pre-K programs in our schools. Teacher diversity can greatly improve all students’ outcomes through relationship building and cultural connections.
We must actively recruit from teacher education programs with large populations of teachers of color. Then, to retain these teachers, we must also make the workplace welcoming through equity, inclusivity and implicit bias training. Finally, we must make teaching in Howard County attractive. I will make this a priority. To accomplish these goals, it is important to develop a budget that supports the educational and professional needs of our school.
The board voted over the summer to have school in Howard County be 100% virtual through January. Did you agree with that decision? Should the school system start a hybrid model sooner than February? Watts: I agree with the decision to start the school year fully virtual. The decision provided the school system with the much-needed time to develop a robust and equitable plan for the safe return of students and staff to the buildings. It also allowed our secondary educators to develop content for an entire course. For our families, it provided some stability in a time where things are constantly changing. Still, the virtual model has been a difficult undertaking for some of our most vulnerable students. For these students, it is important to provide access to small group in-person learning sooner than February.
Note: In late September, Larry Pretlow II announced the suspension of his campaign in a social media post, although the deadline to remove his name from the ballot had passed.
However, about a week later, he resumed his campaign with an announcement on his website. Pretlow couldn’t be reached for comment, and the resumption of his campaign was too late to include him in the questionnaire.
District 3 Why are you running to be on the Howard County Board of Education? Jolene Mosley: For many in our community, it is no surprise that I finally decided to run for the Board of Education in District 3 given how active I have been over the last 13 years. I have supported public education by representing my children’s schools in [Howard County Parents for School Music], GT Parent Academy, PTA volunteering, chaperoning field trips, as well as helping in the classrooms. I have supported the [board] through being a general community member on the Policy Review Committee, member and vice chairperson for the [Community Action Council] and a representative on the [Operating Budget Review Committee]. I am running because: 1. I realized that District 3 has been historically underrepresented on the board and needed a strong voice of an engaged HCPSS parent and active community advocate. 2. I believe my professional background as a data scientist will be a tremendous asset. I will bring evidence-based decision making that is thoughtful and well-reasoned combined with vast K-12 school system experience as an HCPSS parent to the board. 3. My life experiences as a parent with GT and special needs children, my experience of having a child who survived cancer [and] my experiences of having four children who range from 4 to 17 years old all give me a unique perspective from which to advocate for all children.
The board voted over the summer to have school in Howard County be 100% virtual through January. Did you agree with that decision? Should the school system start a hybrid model sooner than February? Mosley: The Board of Education voted to have school 100% virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently impacting our entire world. The school system closed for a couple of weeks in March and came to the understanding that they were not able to reopen safely at that time. The school system, within a few weeks, created a continuity of learning plan to work through to the summer. At the same time, the school system began its longer term planning for virtual learning. The school system purchased Chromebooks to move closer to a 1-to-1 ratio — an investment that was long overdue. Currently, virtual learning is 100% for the first semester and the school system has also implemented a [semester-based] schedule for [middle and high school] students. I agree that this was the best course of action for prioritizing the health and safety of everyone involved in our school community and reducing the risk of COVID. I would like to see specifics on what the school system considers the best hybrid model and how the health and safety is going to be evaluated and enforced before knowing if the plan is a good one or not.
They are also working on plans for small groups to return. I have worked in the health care field for several years now, and I know from experience that it can take a while to gain a full understanding of what it means to provide safety and healthy standards and that it can also change over time.
Note: In early September, Tom Heffner announced the suspension of his campaign and his endorsement of Mosley in a social media post, although the deadline to remove his name from the ballot had passed.
District 4 Why are you running to be on the Howard County Board of Education? Jen Mallo: I am running to be re-elected to the Howard County Board of Education because I am the only candidate in our district with the experience, background, values and principles that are needed on the board. I actively champion equity and anti-racism, prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable students and do the timeconsuming hard work that is necessary to be a successful board member. I have 25 years of experience in education with 20 years of continuous advocacy and work within [the Howard County Public School System]. My work ranges from preschool to higher education, from classroom volunteer to large-scale project management in literacy, from school-based PTA president to systemwide Community Advisory Council chair. My commitment to our community spans decades. I have demonstrated the ability to work with local community groups and other local elected leaders to make sure our schools are funded and our students are learning. My experiences as a parent with students who went to Swansfield, Harpers Choice and Wilde Lake have given me experience and perspectives about the needs of a wide variety of students. During this pandemic, we need leaders who can do the job on day one. I am that candidate.
Sezin Palmer: I am running for the Board of Education because I see a need for leadership that is focused on making sound decisions that are in the best interest of Howard County students and the quality of their education. The current [board] has demonstrated an inability to make decisions that best serve Howard County students, families and educators. From misguided attempts to achieve equity by shuffling over 5,000 children to different schools, to poor handling of the budget that has resulted in class size increases and an unwillingness to do the hard work to devise a plan to get children back in school, Howard County children and families are suffering because we don’t have the right experience on our [board]. It’s time for a change. We need experienced, successful leaders. We need to put the interests of children first and say no to politicians and special interest groups that are negatively impacting HCPSS. I will focus on transparency and accountability for the superintendent, HCPSS and the [board]. I will not accept sham meetings and decisions regarding topics that have not had See CANDIDATES, page 4
We should look at how other jurisdictions are implementing in-person instruction and use this to assist in the development of our plans. I’m encouraged that day cares have been operating safely in our schools for months.
Molyett: I wholeheartedly support the board’s decision to start the school year with virtual learning, which was only opposed by one member of the board: my opponent. As a parent in the system, I understand and empathize with those upset about virtual learning. It has been a hard transition for my students and for me as a parent. However, the health and safety of our students and educators is too important to risk in-person learning at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic. Our class sizes have grown far too large and our air quality is too degraded. We have to wait until scientific and medical experts tell us in-person classes can return, otherwise we risk continuing the spread of COVID-19 to teachers and the parents of students at home. I support the board allowing for small, limited classes for students that require individualized education plans, so long as CDC guidelines for social distancing are met and personal protective equipment is provided for free for all staff and students involved. In the meantime, we should work to continue supporting our staff and students to make virtual learning the best experience it can be. As an expert in cybersecurity, I can navigate the technical solutions required to protect our online classes from practices like “Zoom-bombing” and ensure that students have access to the technology and Wi-Fi that they need. I look forward to getting students and staff back into our schools as soon as it would be safe and equitable to do so.
District 2 Why are you running to be on the Howard County Board of Education? Antonia Barkley Watts: I am running for the Board of Education in District 2 because I believe in the transformative power of education. It is critical that we develop a system where every child has access to an education that fits their needs. Students from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds have fewer educational opportunities compared to their peers. Without these opportunities, the achievement gap will continue to grow. We need to close these gaps to achieve better outcomes for our children, especially for the traditionally underserved, like my two sons. Sadly, this gap starts even before kindergarten. Children without access to early education may enter school up to two academic years behind their peers and may never catch up. I will work to expand the number of high quality and affordable pre-K programs in our schools. Teacher diversity can greatly improve all students’ outcomes through relationship building and cultural connections.
We must actively recruit from teacher education programs with large populations of teachers of color. Then, to retain these teachers, we must also make the workplace welcoming through equity, inclusivity and implicit bias training. Finally, we must make teaching in Howard County attractive. I will make this a priority. To accomplish these goals, it is important to develop a budget that supports the educational and professional needs of our school.
The board voted over the summer to have school in Howard County be 100% virtual through January. Did you agree with that decision? Should the school system start a hybrid model sooner than February? Watts: I agree with the decision to start the school year fully virtual. The decision provided the school system with the much-needed time to develop a robust and equitable plan for the safe return of students and staff to the buildings. It also allowed our secondary educators to develop content for an entire course. For our families, it provided some stability in a time where things are constantly changing. Still, the virtual model has been a difficult undertaking for some of our most vulnerable students. For these students, it is important to provide access to small group in-person learning sooner than February.
Note: In late September, Larry Pretlow II announced the suspension of his campaign in a social media post, although the deadline to remove his name from the ballot had passed.
However, about a week later, he resumed his campaign with an announcement on his website. Pretlow couldn’t be reached for comment, and the resumption of his campaign was too late to include him in the questionnaire.
District 3 Why are you running to be on the Howard County Board of Education? Jolene Mosley: For many in our community, it is no surprise that I finally decided to run for the Board of Education in District 3 given how active I have been over the last 13 years. I have supported public education by representing my children’s schools in [Howard County Parents for School Music], GT Parent Academy, PTA volunteering, chaperoning field trips, as well as helping in the classrooms. I have supported the [board] through being a general community member on the Policy Review Committee, member and vice chairperson for the [Community Action Council] and a representative on the [Operating Budget Review Committee]. I am running because: 1. I realized that District 3 has been historically underrepresented on the board and needed a strong voice of an engaged HCPSS parent and active community advocate. 2. I believe my professional background as a data scientist will be a tremendous asset. I will bring evidence-based decision making that is thoughtful and well-reasoned combined with vast K-12 school system experience as an HCPSS parent to the board. 3. My life experiences as a parent with GT and special needs children, my experience of having a child who survived cancer [and] my experiences of having four children who range from 4 to 17 years old all give me a unique perspective from which to advocate for all children.
The board voted over the summer to have school in Howard County be 100% virtual through January. Did you agree with that decision? Should the school system start a hybrid model sooner than February? Mosley: The Board of Education voted to have school 100% virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently impacting our entire world. The school system closed for a couple of weeks in March and came to the understanding that they were not able to reopen safely at that time. The school system, within a few weeks, created a continuity of learning plan to work through to the summer. At the same time, the school system began its longer term planning for virtual learning. The school system purchased Chromebooks to move closer to a 1-to-1 ratio — an investment that was long overdue. Currently, virtual learning is 100% for the first semester and the school system has also implemented a [semester-based] schedule for [middle and high school] students. I agree that this was the best course of action for prioritizing the health and safety of everyone involved in our school community and reducing the risk of COVID. I would like to see specifics on what the school system considers the best hybrid model and how the health and safety is going to be evaluated and enforced before knowing if the plan is a good one or not.
They are also working on plans for small groups to return. I have worked in the health care field for several years now, and I know from experience that it can take a while to gain a full understanding of what it means to provide safety and healthy standards and that it can also change over time.
Note: In early September, Tom Heffner announced the suspension of his campaign and his endorsement of Mosley in a social media post, although the deadline to remove his name from the ballot had passed.
District 4 Why are you running to be on the Howard County Board of Education? Jen Mallo: I am running to be re-elected to the Howard County Board of Education because I am the only candidate in our district with the experience, background, values and principles that are needed on the board. I actively champion equity and anti-racism, prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable students and do the timeconsuming hard work that is necessary to be a successful board member. I have 25 years of experience in education with 20 years of continuous advocacy and work within [the Howard County Public School System]. My work ranges from preschool to higher education, from classroom volunteer to large-scale project management in literacy, from school-based PTA president to systemwide Community Advisory Council chair. My commitment to our community spans decades. I have demonstrated the ability to work with local community groups and other local elected leaders to make sure our schools are funded and our students are learning. My experiences as a parent with students who went to Swansfield, Harpers Choice and Wilde Lake have given me experience and perspectives about the needs of a wide variety of students. During this pandemic, we need leaders who can do the job on day one. I am that candidate.
Sezin Palmer: I am running for the Board of Education because I see a need for leadership that is focused on making sound decisions that are in the best interest of Howard County students and the quality of their education. The current [board] has demonstrated an inability to make decisions that best serve Howard County students, families and educators. From misguided attempts to achieve equity by shuffling over 5,000 children to different schools, to poor handling of the budget that has resulted in class size increases and an unwillingness to do the hard work to devise a plan to get children back in school, Howard County children and families are suffering because we don’t have the right experience on our [board]. It’s time for a change. We need experienced, successful leaders. We need to put the interests of children first and say no to politicians and special interest groups that are negatively impacting HCPSS. I will focus on transparency and accountability for the superintendent, HCPSS and the [board]. I will not accept sham meetings and decisions regarding topics that have not had See CANDIDATES, page 4
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